Animated card device



Filed July 29, 1958 M; D; YOUNGREN 2,895,244

ANIMATED CARD DEVICE July 21,1959

s Shee ts-Sheet 1 o i 5 AA 4 INVENTOR,

lflzlton 0. youngrem fliiomeys July'Zl, 1959 M; D. 'YQUNQEN" 2,895,244

ANIMATED CARD DEVICE Filed July 29, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

I fitter/ways ANIMATED CARD DEVICE i D- Ybungren, Glencoe, lll. *H y 29,1958, Serial No. 751,739

7 C aims. (31. 40-42 This invention relates to animated devices,particularly those of] the type often made of. card stock and adapted tobe sold as greeting cards or distributed as toysuorpremiums.

One object of the present invention is to provide a new and improvedanimated device having a. base so that. the device will stand alone, andhaving means whereby the device may be animated by moving a membermounted in the base- A. further object is to provide a new and improvedanimated device of the foregoing character which may readily be made in:three easily formed and easily assembled parts made of card stock.

Another object is to provide a new and improved animated device of 'theforegoing character which may hedistributed flat, but in partiallyassembled condition, so that it will be a very simple matter for theultimate user to complete the assembly.

A further object is to provide a new and improved animated device whichis so simple and easily assemhled that it may be printed as a premium onthe back of a cereal box or the like, so that the device may be cut outand assembled by children for use as a toy.

Still another object is to provide a new and improved device of theforegoing character which produces a pleasing animated effect, yet isremarkably simple and lowin cost.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear fromthe following description, taken with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig: 11 is a front view of' an animated device to be described as anillustrative embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. '2 is a view showing the" animated device folded fiat; as'it' mayhedistributed for use as a greeting card;

Figw'S is atop view of the device in its fully assembled condition:

*Fig'; '4' is" a right side elevational view of the device.

Figs. 5, 6 and '7 are views showing the three components of the device,in their initial flat condition.

11: is already'indicat'ed, the drawings illustrate an animated deviceIll-which has many applications, but is particularly useful as ananimated greeting card, or as an animated device to. be given. away as apremium. As's'hown to best advantage in Fig. 4, the device has a base12- so that. the device will stand alone. A front panel 14extends-upwardly from the base 12. Various figures" may be printed.orotherwise reproduced on the rear ange of the uprightpanel" 14". Inthis case, as shown in: Fig.- 1,, the'front panel 1'4 carries the figure(iii a clown with a bass drum. It is preferred to mount a'nrovaibleanimating; member 16 on the front panel 14. In this instance, theanimating member. 16 is made in thcgfprml'off'the'jright ofthe clownshown on the frpnt'panel '14. In his right rm the clown is. holdingalieaterTor the bass drum. The movement of the. mem e 16 s such as: oproduce the effec ha e clown is beating the bass drum. In this case, theheater is in the somewhat fanciful form of a large toothbrush. Ofcourse, a wide variety of figures may be reproduced on thefrontpanel'14. Moreover, various complementary portions of the figuresmay be represented by the animating member 16.

In the illustrated device 10 the animating member 16 is adapted to beoperated by moving a member 18 along the base 12. In this case, themember 18 is slidably movable on the base12 and is formed with anupright portion 19 for operating the animating member 16.

It is preferred to form the base 12 and the front panel 14 in a singlepiece, which may be made of card stock or other sheet material. Theillustrated base 12 has top andv bottom panels 20 and 22 which areconnected together by a fold 24 along the rear edges thereof. The frontpanel 14 extends upwardly from the bottom panel 12', with a second fold26 therebetween. It will be seen that the top panel 20 is foldedforwardly so as to over he the bottom panel 22. The slider 18 has a mainor central portion 28 which is slidable between the top and bottompanels 20 and 22. The upright operating portion 19 of the slider 18extends upwardly from the central portion 28, with a fold 30therebetween.

Means are provided on the base 12 to guide the slider 18. In -this case,the bottom panel 22 is formed with two slots 32 and 34 which aresubstantially at right angles to the folds 24 and 26 and are spacedapart in a direction parallel to the folds. The slider 18 has oppositeend port-ions 36 and 38' which extend through the slots 32 and 34. Thus,the main portion 28 of the slider 18 is above the bottom panel 22, whilethe end portions 36 and 38 extend beneath the bottom panel. The main portion' 28 of the slider is enlarged rearwardly so as to prevent it frompassing through the slots 32 and 34. This enlargement produces shoulders42 and 44 adapted to engage the lower panel 22 at the rear ends of theslots 32 and 34. The shoulders 42 and 44 define the range of movement ofthe slider 18.

The fold 26 at the front edge of the bottom panel 22 is in line with thefront ends of the slots 32 and 34. Thus, the front edge of the slider 18is immediately bebind thefront panel 14. The upright operating portion19 of the slider 18 extends upwardly from the front edge of the sliderand thus is also closely spaced behind the front panel 14.

Means are provided to retain the top panel 20 in its normal positionover thebottom panel 22. In this case, the righthand front corner of thetop panel 20 is formed with a tab 48 adapted to be tucked into the slot32 immediatelyabove the slider 18.

In order that the front panel 14 may be held in an upright position, itis formed with a brace portion. 50 adapted to be folded rearwardlytherefrom along a gen? 'erally vertical fold 52. The brace 50 may besecured to the top panel 20 by means of a tab 54 formed on thelower'edge of the brace and adapted to be folded up.- wardly therefromalong a fold 56. A slot 58 is formed in the top' panel 20 to receive thetab 54.

The animating member 16 may be mounted on the front panel 14 in variousways, but in the illustrated construction, the member 16 has a rearportion 60- adapted to extend through a slot 62 in the front panel 14.Tabs 64 are'formed' onthe upper and lower edges of the rear portion 60to'retain the rear portion in the slot 62. The animating. member 16 hasa front portion 66 which is' enlarged sothat itwill not pass through theslot 62. The fit between the rear port-ion 60 and the slot 62 issufficiently looseto permit the animating member 16 to swing-freelyinnthe slot. The connection thus afforded between the animating member16 and the front panel l I 3 14 is in the nature of a hinge, so that thefront portion 66 of the animating member may swing toward and away fromthe front face of the front panel. As already indicated, the uprightmember 19 on the slider 18 is arranged to operate the animating member16. -In this case, the upright member 19 has. an upper portion 70 whichis formed with a slot 72 adapted tov receive. the rear'portion 60 of theanimating member 16. Movement of the slider 18 along the base 12. willthus cause the animating member 16 to swing back and forth.

In the illustrated arrangement, the slots 62 and 72 are substantiallyvertical, with the result that the animating member 16 swings about asubstantially vertical axis. This arrangement might be varied to changethe direction of movement of the animating member;

Movement of the slider 18 to the left, as seen in Fig. .1, causes theanimating member 16 to be swung against the face of the front panel 14.This makes it appear that the clown, represented on the front panel, isstriking the bass drum. When the slider is moved to the right, theanimating member 16 is swung away from panel 14.

For use as a premium, the three parts of the animating device may beprinted on the back of a cereal box or the like. It is easy for a childto cut out the parts and assemble them to form the complete device,which may be used as a toy. The outlines of the parts and the slotstherein may be partially die cut to facilitate the construction of thedevice. Perforations may be formed along the various fold lines to makethe assembly of the device easy.

Of course, the three parts of the device may be supplied already out outand with the slots formed therein.

For compactness, the parts may be supplied fiat, but the various foldlines may be scored or perforated so that the device may be assembledvery readily.

For use as a greeting card, the device may be supplied completelyassembled except for the connection of the brace 50 to the top panel 20of the base. Leaving this brace 50 unconnected permits the device to besupplied flat so that the brace may be inserted in an envelope andmailed as a greeting card. With the brace 50 disconnected, the frontpanel may be folded down into the plane of the bottom panel 22, as shownin Fig. 2. The brace 50 is likewise folded into the plane of the bottompanel. The top panel 20 may be left with the tab 48 in 'the slot 32, soas to hold the top panel against the bottom panel 22. Alternatively, thetop panel 20 may be detached from the slot 32 and swung into the planeof the bottom panel 22, as shown in Fig. 2.

The animating device may be employed as an advertising medium, in whichcase various advertising messages may be formed on the front panel 14,the bottom panel 22, the top of the top panel 20 and the exposedportions of the slider 18.

It will be apparent that the device produces a pleasing animation whichwill often be amusing, particularly to children. Moreover, the assemblyof the device is so easy that it may readily be done by a child. Thedevice is so low in cost that it may be distributed freely as a premiumor advertising medium.

Various modifications, alternative constructions and equivalents may beemployed without departing from the true spirit and scope of theinvention, as explained in the foregoing description and defined in thefollowing claims.

I claim: 1. An animated card, comprising a one-piece member made ofsheet material, said member having a bottom panel, a top panel, with afirst fold connecting said top panel to said bottom panel at the rearedges of said panels, and an upright panel extending upwardlysubstantially at right angles to said bottom panel with a second foldconnecting the lower edge of said upright panel to the front edge ofsaid bottom panel, saidbpttom panel having first and secondsubstantially parallel slots therein extending in a directionsubstantially at right angles to said first and second folds, said foldsbeing substantially parallel to each other, said slots being spacedapart in a direction substantially parallel to said folds, a slider madeof sheet material and having a central portion slidable between said.top and bottom panels, said slider having end portions extendingdownwardly through said first and second slots, said top panel having atap thereon disengageably receivable in one of said slots for retainingsaid top panel in substantially parallel relation to said bottom panel,said slider having an upright member extending generally at right anglesfrom said central portion with a fold connecting the lower edge of saidupright member to the front edge of said slider, said upright memberextending between the front edge of said top panel and said uprightpanel, said upright member being movable behind said front panel inclosely spaced relation thereto, said front panel having a brace portionfolded rearwardly therefrom, with a second tab on the lower edge of saidbrace portion, said top panel having a slot therein for disengageablyreceiving said second tab to hold said upright panel in an uprightposition, an animating member having a front portion in front of saidupright panel and a rear portion behind said upright panel, said uprightpanel having a slot therein for disengageably receiving said rearportion, tab means on said rear portion for retaining said rear portionin said last-mentioned slot for swinging movement, said upright paneland said animating member having relatively movable complementaryportions of a figure thereon, and a slot in said upright member of saidslider for disengageably receiving said rear portion of said animatingmember for swinging said animating member in response to movement ofsaid slider through said first and second slots.

. 2. An animated device, comprising a main member made of sheet materialand having a bottom panel, a top panel overlying said bottom panel and afront panel extending upwardly from the front edge of said bottom panel,said member having a first fold between therear edges of said top andbottom panels, and a second fold between the bottom edge of said frontpanel and the front edge of said bottom panel, said front panel having abrace'portion folded rearwardly therefrom, with a tab on said braceportion, said top panel having a slot therein for receiving said tab,said bottom panel having first and second generally parallel slotstherein extending generally at right angles to said second fold andspaced apart along a direction generally parallel to said second fold, aslider made of sheet material and having acentral portion slidablebetween said top and bottom panels, said slider having end portionsextending through said slots, said slider having an upright memberextending-upwardly from said central portion, with a front therebetween,said upright member extending between the front edge of said top paneland the rear side ofsaid front panel, a member mounted on said frontpanel for animating movement, and means on said upright member formoving said animating member in response to sliding movement of saidslider through said slots.

3. An animated device, comprising a-bottom panel, a top panel overlyingsaid bottom panel, means connecting the rear portion of said top panelto the rear portion of said bottom panel, a front panel connected tosaid bottom panel and extending upwardly from the front edge thereof, aslider made of sheet material and slidable between said top and bottompanels, said slider having an upright member extending'upwardlytherefrom and slidable between the front edge ofs'aid top panel and therear side of said front panel for animating movement with respect tosaid front panel in response to sliding movement of said slider betweensaid top and bottom member made of sheet material and having adjacentupper and lower interconnected panels, :an upright display panel made ofsheet material and mounted on said base, one of said panels of said basehaving a pair of longitudinally spaced transversely extending slotstherein, a slider made of sheet material and having opposite endportions extending through said slots to mount said slider on said basefor sliding movement between said upper and lower panels, and an uprightportion folded upwardly from said slider and extending upwardly betweensaid upright panel and the front of said top panel for animatingmovement adjacent said upright display panel.

5. An animated device, comprising a main member made of sheet materialand having a bottom panel, a top panel overlying said bottom panel and afront panel extending upwardly from the front edge of said bottom panel,said member having a first fold between the rear edges of said top andbottom panels, and a second fold between the bottom edge of said frontpanel and the front edge of said bottom panel, said bottom panel havingfirst and second generally parallel slots therein extending generally atright angles to said second fold and spaced apart along a directiongenerally parallel to said second fold, a slider made of sheet materialand having a central portion slidable between said top and bottompanels, said slider having end portions extending through said slots,said slider having an upright member extending upwardly from saidcentral portion, with a fold therebetween, said upright member extendingbetween the front edge of said top panel and the rear side of said frontpanel, a member mounted on said front panel for animating movement, andmeans on said upright member for moving said animating member inresponse to sliding movement of said slider through said slots.

6. An animated card, comprising a one-piece member made of sheetmaterial, said member having a bottom panel, a top panel, with a firstfold connecting said top panel to said bottom panel at the rear edges ofsaid panels, and an upright panel extending upwardly sub stantially atright angles to said bottom panel with a second fold connecting thelower edge of said upright panel to the front edge of said bottom panel,said bottom panel having first and second substantially parallel slotstherein extending in a direction substantially at right angles to saidfirst and second folds, said folds being substantially parallel to eachother, said slots being spaced apart in a direction substantiallyparallel to said folds, a slider made of sheet material and having acentral portion slideable between said top and bottom panels, saidslider having end portions extending downwardly through said first andsecond slots, said top panel having a tab thereon disengageablyreceivable in one of said slots for retaining said top panel insubstantially parallel relation to said bottom panel, said slider havingan upright member extending generally at right angles from said centralportion with a fold connecting the lower edge of said upright member tothe front edge of said slider, said upright member extending between thefront edge of said top panel and said upright panel, said upright memberbeing movable behind said front panel in closely spaced relationthereto, and an animating member movably mounted on said front panel andconnected to said upright member for animating movement in response tomovement of said slider.

7. An animated device, comprising a bottom panel, a top panel overlyingsaid bottom panel, means connecting the rear portion of said top panelto the rear portion of said bottom panel, a front panel connected tosaid bottom panel and extending upwardly from the front edge thereof,said panels being made of sheet material, a slider made of sheetmaterial and slidable between said top and bottom panels, said sliderhaving an upright member extending upwardly therefrom and slidablebetween the front edge of said top panel and the rear side of said frontpanel and means mounted on said front panel and connected to saidupright member for animating movement with respect to said front panelin response to sliding movement of said slider between said top andbottom panels.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,262,998 Summer Apr. 16, 1918 FOREIGN PATENTS 270,076 Great Britain May5, 1927

